ABSTRACT
This article presents the structure and function of the Health Equity Collective in developing a systemic approach to promoting health equity across the Greater Houston area. Grounded in Kania and Kramer's five phases of collective impact for coalition building, The Collective operationalizes its mission through its backbone team, steering committees, and eight workgroups; each has goals that mutually reinforce and advance its vision. To date, Phase I (generating ideas), Phase II (initiating action), and Phase III (organizing for impact) have been completed. Phases IV (implementation) and Phase V (sustainability) are currently underway.
ABSTRACT
The comprehensive cancer control approach is used by state, tribes, tribal organizations, territorial and Pacific Island Jurisdiction cancer coalitions to spur local implementation of cancer plans to reduce the burden of cancer in jurisdictions across the country. There is a rich diversity of models and approaches to the development of relationships and scope of planning for cancer control activities between coalitions and advocates in local communities. The national comprehensive cancer control philosophy provides an operational framework while support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention enables coalitions to act as catalysts to bring local partners together to combat cancer in communities. This manuscript describes multiple characteristics of cancer coalitions and how they are organized. Two models of how coalitions and local partners collaborate are described. A case study method was used to identify how five different state and tribal coalitions use the two models to organize their collaborations with local communities that result in local implementation of cancer plan priorities. Conclusions support the use of multiple organizing models to ensure involvement of diverse interests and sensitivity to local cancer issues that encourages implementation of cancer control activities.